Smartcards and ID badges

What is a Smartcard?

NHS Smartcards are similar to chip and PIN bank cards and enable healthcare professionals to access clinical and personal information appropriate to their role.

A user's Smartcard is printed with their name, photograph and unique user identity number (UUID)

On initial registration for a Smartcard, Registration Authorities are required to ask applicants for identification which satisfies the government recommended standard 'e-Gif Level 3', providing at least three forms of ID (photo and non-photo), including proof of address.

Individuals are granted access to patient information based on their work and level of involvement in patient care.

This means that for example, a doctor's receptionist may only see the information needed to process an appointment, not the full clinical record. Each time someone accesses a patient's or staff record, it will be recorded and patients can formally request to see this information.

Staff will also continue to be bound by professional codes of conduct, local regulations, the Data Protection Act and the NHS Code of Confidentiality.

A Smartcard used in conjunction with a passcode, known only to the Smartcard holder, gives secure and auditable access to national and local Spine enabled health record systems, such as SystmOne TPP, Electronic Staff Record (ESR) and the NHS e-Referral Service.

Organisations that need to access patient information within the NHS Care Identity Service and other National Programmes set up Registration Authorities to manage this process.

The Registration Authority is responsible for verifying the identity of health care professionals and workers who wish to register to use these services.

Once authorised, individuals are issued a Smartcard by the Registration Authority. 

Individuals use their Smartcard and their Smartcard Passcode each time they log on.

All DCHS staff are issued with a Smartcard in order to access Electronic Staff Record (ESR), TPP SytmOne and any other Smartcard enabled applications used by DCHS.

The Registration Authority is a small team of two staff who are.

Ian Millington - Registration Authority Manager

Working hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1630

Rebecca Ness - Registration Authority Agent

Working hours: Mon-Thu 0830-1630

Here's what to do if you need a new ID badge for the reasons listed below.......

• Change of job title - please provide the job title on your current ID badge, your new job title and DCHS Team & Site you are based.
• Change of name - please provide your previous name, new name, job title and DCHS Team & Site you are based.
• Broken ID badge - please provide your name, job title and DCHS Team & Site where you are based.
• Lost ID badge - please firstly complete a DATIX incident report, then provide your name, job title and DCHS Team & Site where you are based.

If you need a new ID badge for any of the reasons above please email your details by clicking here

New Starters

All new starters are issued with an ID badge on Trust Induction. However if you have had an Induction waiver or not able to attend Induction for any other reason and require an ID badge please follow the steps below.....

• Ask your Line Manager to take a passport style photo of you on their work smartphone.
• The Line Manager then needs to provide a written statement confirming that the photo is a true likeness of you.
• The Line Manager needs to add your name, job title and DCHS Team & Base of where the ID badge needs sending to.

Once the above steps are completed your Line Manager needs to email the Registration Authority by clicking here